East-West Center gets NASA deal

NASA is giving the East-West Center a three-year, $826,639 contract to look at the effects of the expansion of rubber cultivation in Southeast Asia.

Responding to China's increased demand for rubber, subsistence farmers in the region are changing their farming practices.

The study will bring together specialists in three fields -- remote sensing/land cover-land use, ecosystem modeling, and hydrology -- from the East-West Center, the University of Hawaii at Manoa, the National University of Laos, Harvard University and the Carnegie Institution to examine the effects of rapidly expanding rubber cultivation on the water system and the environment.

'Minor' 3.8 quake hits Big Island

HILO » A magnitude-3.8 earthquake centered at Kiholo Bay north of Kailua-Kona jiggled parts of the Big Island yesterday but caused no damage. The Hawaiian Volcano Observatory described it as "minor."

The observatory said the quake took place at 1:55 p.m. at a depth of 25.5 miles.

Hawaii County Civil Defense said they received four or five calls, but no one reported even minor damage.

Hilo couple donates $50,000 to UH

Hilo residents Jim and Anne Sadayasu, who attended the University of Hawaii at Hilo in the early 1960s, donated $50,000 to the university last month, UH-Hilo announced in a news release.

The couple always intended to give back to UH-Hilo, the news release said. So after their three sons finished undergraduate and graduate school on the mainland and at the UH-Manoa Law School, and after seeing donations from other Hilo residents during the UH Centennial Campaign, they decided the time was right.

Last month, the Sadayasus donated $50,000 to fund endowments for the recruitment and retention of faculty at UH-Hilo. The gift will support two $25,000 endowed faculty funds at the College of Arts and Sciences and the College of Business and Economics.

The Sadayasu donation is the third $50,000 gift in the last year. Barry Taniguchi of KTA Super Stores and Larry Isemoto of Isemoto Contracting also donated $50,000 to the endowed faculty funds.

Motorist held in bicyclist's death

Police arrested an 85-year-old Kaneohe man who was the driver of a car that veered onto a sidewalk yesterday, striking and killing a 63-year-old bicyclist who also was from Kaneohe.

The bicyclist was riding a 15-speed bicycle on the east sidewalk heading north on Kamehameha Highway near Adon Plaza and Pua Inia Street in Kaneohe at 9:48 a.m. when he was rear-ended.

The driver did not stop after the collision and continued driving in the same direction, police said.

Police stopped and arrested him near the scene for alleged failure to render aid, a vehicular homicide sergeant said. The offense is a Class B felony.

The bicyclist was taken in critical condition with head and bodily injuries to the Queen's Medical Center, where he later died.

FL MORRIS / FMORRIS@STARBULLETIN.COM
Surrounded by media Monday, a parks department representative informed Marie Beltran, left, that Mokuleia Beach Park was closed. Beltran and her husband had been living at the park. She was arrested yesterday after initially refusing to leave.

Mokuleia beach camper arrested

A 45-year-old homeless woman who had been living at Mokuleia Beach Park was arrested at 5:21 a.m. yesterday.

Marie Beltran was the only one left at Mokuleia Beach Park after the city cleared out several homeless families living there Monday night.

Beltran had been cited for violating the new park rule that closes the park daily from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m.

Beltran was taken to the Wahiawa Police Station, but did not post $1,000 bail and was taken to the main station, where she remained in custody yesterday.

Beltran said Monday night that her family has title to the beach park property, and initially refused to leave, but later said she would move her property for fear it would be disposed of by the city.

Police said they refused to allow Beltran's husband to pick up her possessions and dogs at the time of the arrest because the park was officially closed and they had been given ample opportunity to remove their belongings. However, police said he was allowed to remove the items later.

NEIGHBOR ISLANDS

Suspects sought in vandalism

Big Island police are asking for the public's help in identifying vandals responsible for an outbreak of graffiti in and around Kailua town over the last three weeks.

Police ask anyone with any information to call Officer Luke Watkins or Sgt. William Souther at 326-4646, extension 253, or the Police Department's non-emergency line at 935-3311. Tipsters who prefer to remain anonymous may call Crime Stoppers at 961-8300 in Hilo or 329-8181 in Kona.

WAIKIKI

Man arrested after tiff with bus driver

A 31-year-old man was arrested yesterday after he allegedly threatened a city bus driver.

About 6:40 p.m. yesterday, the suspect boarded a bus at Ala Wai Boulevard and Niu Street. The bus driver told the suspect to stand behind the yellow line, and the suspect refused, police said. An argument ensued, and the suspect allegedly threatened the bus driver. Police arrested the suspect on suspicion of interference with the operator of a public vehicle.

WINDWARD OAHU

Drug debt leads to alleged attack

An 18-year-old man was arrested in Kaneohe yesterday after allegedly assaulting another teenager over a drug debt.

About 8 p.m. yesterday, the suspect went to a 41-year-old man's Kaneohe home to collect money from a drug debt owed by the man's son, police said.

The suspect allegedly forced his way into the home, assaulted the 19-year-old son and made several threats. The suspect also allegedly struck the father in the face before fleeing the scene. Police found the suspect nearby, and found marijuana in his pocket. The suspect was arrested on suspicion of unauthorized entry, two counts of third-degree assault, promoting detrimental drugs and second-degree terroristic threatening.

HONOLULU

Pedestrian who died of injuries is named

An 80-year-old man who died last Friday from injuries suffered in a pedestrian accident in January has been identified as Florentino Noveno of Honolulu.

Noveno had been hospitalized in critical condition at the Queen's Medical Center since Jan. 14, after he was hit by a vehicle when he stepped into a crosswalk at Ahonui and School streets in Kalihi.

Noveno is the seventh pedestrian killed on Oahu this year, compared with 12 at this time last year.